Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin to make North America debut at Bravo! Vail in 2019
Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter to join ensemble for auspicious performance
Vail, CO—June 26, 2018—The Bravo! Vail Music Festival has just commenced its 2018 season and already it is tempting patrons with the announcement that Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin will make its North America debut at the distinguished summer classical music festival in 2019 alongside lauded violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. The performance also marks Anne-Sophie’s Bravo! Vail debut. Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott made the announcement from stage on Saturday, June 23 to a thrilled audience of nearly 2,000 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Specific details about the repertoire and concert date are not yet available. More information about Bravo! Vail is available at www.bravovail.org.
“To present the Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin in its North American debut is a singular opportunity for Bravo! Vail. That this occasion also marks the Vail debut of the great violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter performing all five of Mozart’s violin concertos is thrilling,” said McDermott, hinting at the program to come in 2019. “We are so excited to be a home for this compelling musical partnership and to introduce them to our exceptional audience and setting.”
Comprised of musicians from the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras, the Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin showcases the prowess, sophistication, and collaborative spirit of two dominant forces in classical music. Though easy to emphasize the differences in these celebrated ensembles—the smooth elegance and nobleness of the Viennese; the captivating passion of the Berliners—when performing together it is clear that they treasure a refinement of playing, enormous flexibility, and a specific beauty of sound.
The ensembles, friendly music rivals on the world stage, were first united in 2005 by Sir Simon Rattle, who wished to conduct a common concert of the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras for his 50th birthday. The resulting collaboration was so positive that it continues to this day. Out of this idea, the Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin was born, representing the essence of both orchestras and sharing many of their most renowned musicians. It is their ambition to combine chamber-music-like delicacy and symphonic force in their repertoire. The principle aim and at the same time philosophy of this formation is to achieve a unique creative exchange with exciting experiences for both audiences and musicians.
Since the formation of the Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin, Rainer Honeck, concertmaster of the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera since 1984 and of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra since 1992, acts as its primarius and Artistic Director.
In addition to concertmaster Honeck, Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin includes Wiener Philharmoniker violinists Daniel Froschauer, Christoph Konz, and Michal Kostka; violists Tobias Lea and Innokenti Grabko; cellist Raphael Flieder; bassist Robert Mayr; oboists Clemens Horak and Herbert Maderthaner; and horns Wolfgang Tomböck and Thomas Jöbstl; as well as Berliner Philharmoniker violinists Dorian Xhoxhi, Luiz Felipe Coelho, Thomas Timm, and Romano Tommasini; violist Wolfgang Talirz; and cellist Olaf Maninger.
The Chamber Orchestra Vienna – Berlin is joined by preeminent violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who in 2017 celebrated 40 years as a violin virtuoso and musical phenomenon. Coincidentally, her distinguished career began with debuts in recital at the 1976 Lucerne Festival and as a soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Whitsun Concert. In four decades, she has become one of the leading international artists in the world’s major concert halls, serving not only as soloist, but as a visionary in supporting composers and mentoring young string players.
The four-time Grammy® Award winner is fully committed both to the performance of traditional composers and to the future of music—so far, she has given the world premieres of 24 works by composers including Sebastian Currier, Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutoslawski, Norbert Moret, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sir André Previn, and Wolfgang Rihm.
Furthermore, she dedicates herself to numerous benefit projects and to supporting tomorrow’s emerging artists. In 1997 she founded the “Association of Friends of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation e.V.,” to which the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation was added in 2008. These two charitable institutions provide support for scholarship recipients. Since 2011, Anne-Sophie Mutter has regularly appeared with her ensemble of fellows—the “Mutter Virtuosi.”
Anne-Sophie Mutter has been awarded the 2017 Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum for her services to music education and young artists. She is the proud holder of the Siemens Music Prize, the German Grand Order of Merit, the French Medal of the Legion of Honour, the Bavarian Order of Merit, the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, and numerous other honors.
ABOUT BRAVO! VAIL MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Bravo! Vail Music Festival brings world-renowned musicians to picturesque venues throughout the Vail Valley for nearly seven weeks, drawing music lovers from around the world. The only festival in North America to host four of the world’s finest orchestras in a single season, Bravo! Vail celebrates its 31st season from June 21 through August 2, 2018. The 2018 season features residencies with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic – plus the London-based Academy of St Martin in the Fields, which, in 2016, became the first international orchestra to perform at the Festival. In addition, internationally acclaimed chamber artists and soloists perform a wide array of unique and carefully curated chamber music programs. Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott has served the Festival since 2011. For more information about Bravo! Vail, visit bravovail.org or call 970.827.5700.
Media Contacts: Amanda Sweet/Bucklesweet, 347.564.3371, [email protected] Mike Fila/Bucklesweet, 410.615.6654, [email protected]